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KOTA KINABALU: The rivalry between PBS and Perikatan Nasional’s STAR ally escalated a bit after a veteran PBS division leader left the party to join the latter due to a dispute over Paginatan’s seat.
Paginatan PBS chief Othman Minuddin was said to be unhappy after the candidate he had proposed, division deputy director Juis Konsuling, was passed over for the rural headquarters.
The party, which faces STAR, BN and Upko, among others, in a nine-sided battle for the seat, has instead introduced Supreme Council member Arthur Sen.
STAR is also fighting for seats with PBS in a number of other constituencies, including Moyog and Tambunan, as well as placing independent candidates in Bengkoka, Tandek, Matunggong and Api-Api.
Photos of Othman joining STAR were posted yesterday on the Facebook account of the party’s candidate for the seat, Abidin Madingkir.
Meanwhile, a statement released today by Paginatan’s deputy division chief Faustian Thomas said Othman was believed to have left the party because his wishes were not fulfilled.
“We believe that he (Othman) and others who went to STAR with him were not happy that Sen was sent in his place,” he said.
However, Faustian claimed that the decision to deploy Sen was made at a division meeting last month, which was chaired by Othman himself.
“During the meeting, Othman emphasized that the division was willing to present a candidate in the elections and would support any decision made by the main leaders of the party, regarding the chosen candidate,” he said.
Before the state elections, Othman had lobbied for PBS to be given the seat, and had even urged STAR to allow clear passage for the party to contest the area.
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